


Doing Without

by Morpheus626



Category: Night at the Museum (Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:13:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25046707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morpheus626/pseuds/Morpheus626
Summary: More NATM and Ahkmenrah along with Sacagawea (because I really just need like a buddy comedy of her, Ahk, Teddy, and Attila loose in New York. This fic isn’t that, admittedly, but it has a similar flavor re: Ahk and Sacagawea hanging out as buds.)  Just a short thing this is, but I think it’s a bit of fun and hope y’all will like it too.
Kudos: 24





	Doing Without

The first night Larry didn’t show, they tried to carry on as normal. It was uncomfortable, and weird turning on the lights, running the security measures Larry usually did, but it wasn’t as if it was anything impossible (except for the animals and a few other inhabitants lacking in thumbs with which to open and close various doors and locks.) Just strange, to be doing it for him, without him there. 

The second night, it was too much. 

“A few nights off, perhaps?” Ahkmenrah pondered aloud as he walked alongside Teddy, on their final sweep of the museum before they could join everyone else in relaxing and mingling. 

“Usually he tells us ahead of time, hires that young man to come in and cover,” Teddy replied. “Oh, what is his name…you know the one, the one-” 

“The one who falls asleep at the main desk within the first fifteen minutes, and keeps attributing our being alive and wandering to sleep paralysis hallucinations,” Ahkmenrah interrupted. “Yes, I remember him. You think he’d ask Larry why he keeps getting hired as a temporary night guard if he falls asleep during the shift.” 

Teddy shrugged. “In any case, the lad is not here, and something is afoot. Either Lawrence told him to be here, and he’s forgotten, or Lawrence is sick, or…something worse.” 

Ahkmenrah could see the plan formulating in Teddy’s head already. “No, he wouldn’t want us to do that. I know what you’re plotting, and-” 

“A recovery party must be formed, a reconnaissance mission carried out!” Teddy crowed. “These are the times all men prepare for, Ahkmenrah my boy! Will you answer the call?” 

Ahkmenrah frowned. “Larry gets nervous letting us out some nights to take a walk round the block without him. What makes you think he’d want us to take this trip to try and check on him, at his house, unaccompanied, now?” 

Teddy thought for a moment, then grinned. “I don’t think he would want us to. But it is the right thing to do, and sometimes, the right thing is the thing that gets one in trouble. But if it benefits and helps another, then it is worth that trouble.” 

“…fine,” Ahkmenrah sighed. “But when he yells about it-” 

“I will take full blame for plotting it, while you and Sacagawea will take full blame for performing it,” Teddy interjected. 

“Sorry?” 

“You two both fit the extra clothes he’s given us, and will pass the easiest out on the street. I might not do so badly, but I must remain here to keep an eye on things while you and her are away, checking on our dear Lawrence,” Teddy replied. “And both of you do love getting out to see the city…” 

He was caught there, and he knew Teddy knew it. 

“Delightful! It is decided; I’ll retrieve the clothes for you both, if you’ll find Sacagawea and inform her of the mission!” 

While Teddy trotted off, Ahkmenrah went on his task. 

Sacagawea wasn’t far, standing at the main desk, watching the milling about exhibits. 

“We have a…mission.” 

“A mission? By who’s command?” she smiled. “I think I know though.” 

“Teddy wants us to go to Larry’s apartment, and make sure he is okay. What we’re going to do when he inevitably is fine and is mad at us for showing up there, I have no idea. I was hoping you might have some.” 

She shook her head. “I don’t think anything we might say we’ll matter. He’ll be upset, but I’m sure as soon as Teddy talks to him it’ll smooth over.” 

“Teddy is just sending us. He’s staying here.” 

She sighed. “Ah. Well, we both know some of being a diplomat, yes? We’ll simply have to do our best, and…” 

“Say sorry a lot,” Ahkmenrah interrupted.

“Yes, that too.” 

Teddy arrived a moment later with the clothes; a pair of dark jeans, sneakers, and an NYU sweatshirt for Ahkmenrah, and a pair of leggings with a sweatshirt from the gift shop that was nearly a dress on Sacagawea, going to her knees. 

“No extra shoes, my love. But Lawrence has told me moccasins are still a fashion, so I doubt you’ll need to worry about them catching any attention!” Teddy said. “Go on, dress in the lounge and then out you go! We’ve got a good few hours left, and I expect this mission to be a complete success!” 

Despite his nerves over their reason for being out, it was nice to be outside. The city air was cool, but not so cool as to be uncomfortable to be out walking in. In the night they could easily blend in, and for a moment he could pretend it was all different. They were just two friends, living in the city, out for a night walk to another friend’s house, at least for a bit. 

“You like it out here,” Sacagawea said as they walked. 

“I do,” he replied. “But that isn’t right, is it? I should find the city too big, too frightening, too strange. But I don’t. Every time we get to go out, I hope it’ll be just a few hours longer each time, even though I know it can’t be.” 

She shrugged. “I don’t think that’s wrong. The more we go out, the more I wonder how many of us could pass as normal people, living our lives without fear of the morning and the sun. I think a few of us certainly could. Sometimes I wish we could know what that would be like, even if only for a day. I think some of us were made to exist in more than one age of this world.” 

His chest was tight, his breath short as he replied, and not due to the walk. “I agree with you, but I can’t think of it that way. The second I do, the thought of going back becomes miserable. I’d miss you all, but I can’t erase the thought of living out here.” 

“Don’t let it worry you. For now, focus on our ‘mission’,” she smiled softly. “I can’t blame you for wanting that and feeling that way, and I don’t think anyone would. You’re different out here, you know? Still regal, but…different.” 

“A good sort of different?” 

She nodded as her hand found his, and he was grateful for the contact grounding him again, reminding him of why they were out and walking the streets. Ultimately, this was for the rest of the museum inhabitants and Larry, not just a fun jaunt for them. 

The wind grew colder the closer they got to Larry’s, and they huddled together as they knocked, then rang the bell, then did both again, to no response. 

Before he could suggest another idea, Sacagawea had picked up gravel from the sidewalk, and tossed it at the closest window.

“What are you doing?” he tried and failed to bite back a laugh. “Is that window even his?” 

She shrugged. “If someone opens it, and it isn’t him, we can ask them if they know where he is.” 

Ahkmenrah nodded. “Fair enough. What do you think Larry would say if he could see us now?” 

“Would you like to know?” 

They both jumped a foot at Larry’s voice. 

He was stood there, a bag from the nearest pharmacy in his hand, giving them a parental and angry look. “Well? You asked, do you want to know what I have to say about this?” 

He didn’t wait for an answer, and ushered them through the front door and to his apartment. 

Once they were settled on the couch like so much naughty children caught misbehaving, he asked again.

“Are you two going to explain yourselves?” 

“To be fair, the plan was Teddy’s idea,” Ahkmenrah said. “We did perform it for him, but he had the original idea.” 

Sacagawea nodded. “This is a reconnaissance mission, sort of. To come check on you, since you haven’t come to work the last day or so.” 

“We thought maybe you had a day off and your temp didn’t know, or you were sick or…I think Teddy may have thought you were dead, a little,” Ahkmenrah admitted with a wince.

“He did definitely think, at least a bit, that you might have died,” Sacagawea agreed. “But you didn’t!” 

Larry stared, and shook his head. “No. I have the flu, and my temp guard wasn’t available to cover until tomorrow night, if I was still sick, which I am, so you’ll be seeing him then. I figured you all could handle yourselves for two nights alone. And you did, I suppose, though I did not ever think you would do this. I mean, this is dangerous! I know you both know the city somewhat but…” 

Larry sighed. “But you meant well. And, had I had some way to let you know about this, you wouldn’t have had to come out at all. Stay here, give me…maybe half an hour. I’ve got an idea.” 

Before they could think of another question to ask, he was out the door again, sniffling as he went. 

“We’re running low on time,” Ahkmenrah whispered as they waited. 

“He’s gone, why are you-” 

“I don’t know, because this is awkward and I feel like a child put in a time out,” Ahkmenrah interrupted with a scoff. “There, no more whispering. What on earth could he be doing?” 

The door opened with a bang as Larry entered, and tossed a bag to them. “Okay. You’ll have to find a way to hide it, and it is strictly to be used for our communication during times like these, so I’m not buying minutes for it all the time. But this way, I can reach you and let you all know if I won’t make it or if something’s happened with the temp and you would be alone for a night. No more need for any ‘missions’.” 

Ahkmenrah pulled the half-charged, but otherwise ready to use cellphone from the bag. “You bought us a phone?” 

“You are now the keeper of the tablet, and the cellphone,” Larry replied. “Hide it well. Sacagawea, I’m sure you have ideas?” 

“We can figure out a way to hide it in your sarcophagus, no problem,” she said as she looked at it. 

“Good. Now, show me how well you can use it, and call yourselves a cab home. I’ll pay for it, but I want to make sure you get back on time, and you might not if you walk,” Larry said, rubbing at his forehead. “I’m sorry, I’m just exhausted. And I feel like shit.” 

Ahkmenrah bit back the ‘you look like it’ that was on the tip of his tongue. True though it was, he was still taking care of them, entertaining them in his home while they waited for the cab Sacagawea adeptly called after searching the number online. 

“You two use the computer at the museum way too much,” Larry joked. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think I was sending you home to your own apartments, not the museum.” 

The statement lingered in Ahkmenrah’s mind as the cab arrived and carried them away, Larry waving good-bye from his front step. 

Sacagawea gave him a knowing look as they arrived home. “You know…Larry probably will need the next day or two off to rest. Even if the temp makes it in…he’ll never know if you should leave and go out for a bit one night, and Teddy and I on another.” 

He smiled. “That’s true. If we leave him a blanket and pillow near the desk, and a mug of warm tea…” 

“He might just sleep the whole night, wouldn’t even wake up to notice we were all moving about like he usually does,” she said. “Is that a plan then?” 

“A mission to complete,” he replied. “Date night for you and Teddy, and a night out for me.” 

The idea of it all was an adrenaline rush as they went inside, and it left him wondering. If Larry had other days off or sick in the future, and texted them with enough time, who knew what they could plan to go out and do? 

He wasn’t quite sure of that answer yet, but he couldn’t wait to find out.


End file.
